Leavy-Carter
By Hilary Dickinson
hdickinson@beloitdailynews.com
Published: Saturday, October 10, 2009 12:58 AM CDT
Jeremy Leavy Carter called 911 and said to the dispatcher “I killed my girlfriend,” according to court documents.
Court officials on Friday set an Oct. 19 preliminary hearing date for the 20-year-old Beloit man accused of killing his girlfriend, Darrellwar M. “RoRo” Tillman, 19, on Sept. 28.
Leavy Carter was charged with one count of first degree intentional homicide and another count of strangulation and suffocation.
Prosecutors allege Leavy Carter choked Tillman inside their apartment in the 900 block of Park Avenue. Autopsy results indicated Tillman died of asphyxiation.
Leavy Carter has not entered a plea. He could face life in prison if convicted of homicide. If convicted of strangulation and suffocation, he could face six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, Sgt. Ed Gates of the Beloit Police Department requested dispatch to advise the 911 caller, who stated that he committed the homicide, to exit the apartment. Moments later, Leavy Carter, exited the apartment with his cell phone to his ear.
Officers found Tillman unresponsive lying on a mattress on the floor. Officers and paramedics attempted CPR until she was pronounced dead at 7:50 a.m.
Leavy Carter was taken to the Beloit Police Department where he reportedly said the homicide took place approximately 20 to 25 minutes earlier.
Beloit Police Detective John Fahrney said he listened to the 911 call and heard Leavy Carter identify himself and tell dispatch, “‘I killed my girlfriend.’” He also told 911 he had gotten into a fight with her and said, “‘I choked her.’” He told the operator she was dead on the bed.
After the detective informed the defendant Tillman had died, he became upset and fell to the floor. He stated, “‘I’m sorry. I’m so — stupid. I don’t feel good. I need some help.’”
Officer Terry Hanaman of the Beloit Police Department said the defendant told him he consumed 10 to 15 Tylenol at his apartment prior to calling the police. The defendant told police he did not inform them he was suicidal during processing because he wanted to die.
The defendant was transported to Beloit Memorial Hospital where he was cleared by a doctor. After being physically restrained, he was transported to the Rock County Jail.
There he told police he “flipped out and went after her and choked her” after Tillman swung a knife at him. He continued to say he choked Tillman until her face, hands and feet turned purple.
He continued to say he did not mean to do it and initiated CPR.
After getting no response from Tillman, he called his mother and told her what happened. The defendant’s mother told him to call an ambulance.
The defendant called the ambulance and laid on the bed with Tillman until dispatch ordered the defendant out of the apartment.
Also according to the criminal complaint, neighbor Antonio D. Henderson told Beloit Detective Dave Hoffman he and his 7-month-old daughter were awakened at 4:45 a.m. by the sound of bumping from the apartment above.
When he approached the apartment of Leavy Carter and Tillman he heard two voices yelling.
He said he heard Tillman yelling, “‘Stop hitting me! Stop choking me! Stop choking me!’”
After knocking on the door and asking Tillman to open it, he told Hoffman he heard the defendant yelling, “‘No! Don’t open the door! You’re not opening the door!’” He once again heard Tillman yell, “‘Stop hitting me! Stop choking me!’”
Henderson said he heard the couple bumping into the door and believed Leavy Carter was stopping Tillman from opening the door. Henderson said he waited five to 10 minutes, but no one opened the door for him.
Leavy-Carter’s defense attorney, Jack Hoag, had no comment after Friday’s hearing. Friends and family of the defendant who attended the hearing also declined to comment.
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